'Mine-golia': Across the steppes, new wealth emerges


(CNN) -- On Oyu Tolgoi -- "Turquoise Hill" -- the biggest business venture in Mongolia is taking shape.
The copper resources aren't new to locals -- after all, for thousands of years locals dug out copper to melt down into things like arrowheads, CNN's Stan Grant reports.
But the massive Gobi Desert copper and gold mine -- a joint venture with foreign mining conglomerates Ivanhoe and Rio Tinto -- is expected to account for one-third of the nation's total economic output by 2020 and boost the average earnings of Mongolia by 60%.
The numbers are staggering. The development phase runs to nearly $5 billion. The mine is projected to produce to 450,000 tons of copper and more than 300,000 ounces of gold. Developers claim there's enough here to mine for the next 50 years or more.
Yet it's placing stress on an ancient nomadic way of life.
Mongolia's national
Many locals they're worried the mine will drain all the water, although mine owners say Oyu Tolgoi has a separate underground source.
There is also stress on animal herds and available land.
Says one nomadic herder: "At the moment it's impossible to graze our herd near the mine. Officials might say it is only 10-kilometer limit, but because of the traffic and dust you don't see any herds within 20 or 30 kilometers."
Other herders, like Myagmarjav, say they are benefiting from extra money for his wife and children through part-time work at the mine.
"We think we can work at the mine and take care of our herds. My three children will get a chance to go to school and have a better education," he says.

link:
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/BUSINESS/08/29/mongolia.mining/index.html?hpt=hp_bn6
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13078336

Locals in Mongolia was not new to the copper resources that was dug out of the ground. For thousands of years people in Mongolia has been using copper and melting them into arrow heads and others weapons. The massive Gobi desert copper and gold mine is expected to boost up the average earnings in Mongolia up by 60% in 2020. The copper and gold mine is projected to produce 450,000 of copper and more than 300,000 ounces of gold. Developers predicted that there will be enough gold and copper to mine for the next 50 years. Many locals think that the the mine will drain all the water and there is going to be a problem for the animal herds and the land. The mine owner says that Oyu Tolgoi has a separate underground sources and it will do no harm to the animal herds.

To make sure that everyone is happy at the end the workers should deserve a certain amount of money and to deserve that the workers must have worked hard for the mine owner. So at the end the owner and the workers are happy with what they got. For many people the mine is a good thing because some people think that if they worked at the mine they could give their children a better education in a expensive school. Some of the herders are worried that the mine will drain all of their water and there wouldn't be enough for the herds but the mine owner says that they have a different underground water source and it's has no harm on the herds. The owner should make sure that what he says is true and prove his point by showing the herders where they get there water or the owner could provide the herders the water they need if the mine is really draining the water.